Sowing the seed of Sustainability for a prosperous tomorrow: assessing the Obstacles and opportunities for sustainable agriculture in Gujarat

Today, the world's recklessness blinds us to the catastrophic long-term costs of short-term gains. Millions of farmers in India are stuck in a constant loop of expensive chemicals and harmful synthetics despite being bestowed with indigenous skills and potential for growth through sustainable agriculture. Adding oil to troubled waters, the farmers are also forced to face the field in an uncertain situation of climate change, water pollution, soil degradation, and incoming market failures. The modern world is trying to resolve this uncertain situation through sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture believes in forsaking synthesized chemical products in agricultural activities for an environmentally friendly, socially beneficial, ecologically and economically efficient way of agriculture. The state of Gujarat has vast potential and requisite resources for advancing organic and natural farming. This research paper explores this potential, its various untapped aspects, and the incoming challenges through doctrinal and empirical data. Our doctrinal research consisted of reviewing the existing literature on the issues in Gujarat and globally; it looks through government policies, initiatives, and international conventions. For empirical data, a survey was conducted in various pockets of Gujarat with the farmers and related stakeholders to better understand the grassroots scenario and realities. The paper presents an innovative approach to comprehensively examining the impact of government and stakeholder policies on promoting sustainable farming in Gujarat. Moreover, it offers unparalleled solutions and recommendations to overcome the various challenges associated with sustainable agriculture in the state.